As Time Marches On
by November Leaving
Summary: Time supposedly heals all but how can it if one isn't willing to let go? Draco Malfoy has changed a little and Ron refuses to let go.


As time marches on...  
  
A simple phrase loaded with many different occasions.  
  
Usually it's equated with bad. Misery, broken hearts, death, loss...evil. Lies is what this is about. A trusted figurehead lied to him, to me, to our world. It was either he or evil. He won but he loss.  
  
Lost his life.  
  
Voldemort was gone and so was our savior. My savior. And who would ever think that I, Draco Malfoy, would say such a thing?  
  
Harry Potter kept Him out of my way. Not Voldemort but Him. They were lovers. Big bloody shocker there. But because they were preoccupied, I never had to betray myself.  
  
Yes, I liked Ron Weasley.  
  
Love... probably.  
  
Hate was what we had for each other but I knew better. This feeling transcended our stereotypical hatred. There is a truly thin line between love and hate. I crossed it years ago.  
  
But once he died, two weeks before matriculation, Ron was in shambles. His whole education was built around Harry Potter. Sidekick, best friend, lover. You can imagine my reaction...  
  
Pure and utter fear.  
  
With Harry Potter gone, I was to deal with my fate. Ron was free; dreary but free. Nothing stopped from proclaiming my truth except all of Gryffindor. They had formed a protective barrier of love and caring around him. Luckily enough, he happened upon my secret spot found at the lake. Near it laid a knoll, very plain yet hidden behind thorns and brush – like me.  
  
One day, as I went to reflect on him, there he lay, asleep. That was his first glimpse at me. He was so prefect. His drawing was remarkable.  
  
Yes, I draw.  
  
He saw me; I didn't budge or curse. I just drew. And then left.  
  
That began a wonderful relationship. Every day he saw me at my tree, sketching, and he would lie down on his robe and looked up at the sky. He would murmur. He would leave. We soon graduated and I never had to see him again. However, I had my drawings and that's all that mattered.  
  
A year blew by – Harry Potter's one-year anniversary. I decided to head over to Diagon Alley. I strolled around, not knowing where to go. Many were going on about Harry Potter or recalling old times or going about their business, with an air of mourning to them. I could not stomach it for Ron was not there.  
  
So, I left.  
  
As I went through The Leaky Cauldron, someone called out to me. "I can't do it."  
  
I turned towards the voice and it was Ron.  
  
"Yes you can."  
  
"Nope. Not ready to go back to this world."  
  
He sat next to the wall that opened to our world, his wand, which I knew he probably hadn't taken out in years, was stashed in his pocket.  
  
"Do you want to go talk about it?" I wondered as I stood in front of him.  
  
"I would love to talk to a familiar face."  
  
He left...or should I say we left. I took him to a nice restaurant...my house.  
  
"You leave in a flat? Alone? And cook?" He pondered aloud as he hung his jacket on the coat rack.  
  
"Ever since my father went to Azkaban and my mother died in the war, I decided to hold off on accepting the inheritance and try and figure myself out." The answer rolled off my tongue.  
  
"I miss magic but I don't miss what it causes."  
  
He was sitting in the study, staring off into space...into the sky.  
  
He continued. "I miss Hogwarts. The place, the people, the seclusion. Him. I can't believe it's been a year. I still live at home because I can't get up, walk to our world and find a job. We were going to be Aurors. Just like old times. We were gonna fight together, side by side. He died. Dumbledore said that the prophecy clearly stated that either he would survive or You Kno-Vold...Voldemort. Neither did. I miss him." He seemed pale; his freckles stood out.  
  
I didn't know what to say. "I miss my secret place but some redhead stole it."  
  
He smiled, if only a little bit. "Sorry."  
  
"Don't be. I liked the company."  
  
"So did I."  
  
And time marched on.  
  
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A/N: Yet another story...still not beta-ed. I'm so lazy. This may be a two- part story...I'm not too sure right now. I've learned not to make promises I can't keep. 


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